Street roots
5
May 11, 2012
HOLDING THE LINE, FROM page 3
bilingual specialists respond and juggle their calls accordingly.
Breaks for the specialists are essential — an opportunity to take off
the headset, walk away from the booth, and collect his or her
thoughts. This is not a counseling hotline. But it is the front line
for people reaching out from what is often a desperate situation.
“I really enjoy helping people,” says Kurt, one of the call center
specialists. “To talk to people for a moment or two and be able to
let them tell their story. And they know that they can call back. It’s
being accessible.”
Y°
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F W IK I C O M M O N S
Portland City Council has again postponed a decision on a controversial proposal that critics say will open the door
to increased public surveillance in the city. The proposal, brought by the Portland Police Bureau, is to hold property
owners harmless to any damages caused by police installing and using surveillance cameras on the property. The
PPB wants to install cameras in the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood to track and prosecute illegal drug
trafficking. The proposal, however, has come under attack by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon and
Portland Copwatch, who say that such surveillance tactics have been ineffectual elsewhere and are open to civil
liberties violations. The proposal was heard May 2, but questions regarding police policies around their used
prompted a delay to May 16. It has now been rescheduled to May 30.
Special thanks to
Old Town
Tou’re a stranger and Pm a little embarrassed talking to you. ”
Even with his reservations, the caller, an older man,
continues. He wants resources overcome his addiction to alcohol,
and to address his anxieties and mental health concerns when he’s
sober.
“I t’s kind of embarrassing... I don’t really have a permanent
address. I ’m calling you folks so maybe I can get some help ... I want
off it all. It’s killing me.”
The specialist gives him the information on several services that
could be appropriate, along with resources for getting
transportation to the programs. The mix of $4-a-gallon gas and no
income is another barrier mentioned by several callers to simply
getting to where they need to be.
As the clock nears 5 p.m., the calls show no signs of slowing
down. At one point, the number of callers in the queue peaks at 17.
“I ’m trying to find out some help. I ’m moving from a divorce with
my kids and I don’t know where to go or where to begin. I ’m currently
staying in our car right now. ”
She’s 31 with two young boys. She works, usually making about
$1,000 a month. But she recently had a car accident, and waiting
on the doctor’s assessment regarding work has put her behind
financially. The past two weeks, it’s gotten worse, she says, and
now she doesn’t have any money.
The specialist asks if she has any family or friends to stay with.
She responds in a very solemn voice.
“My spouse will see the vehicle and he’ll take it.”
The specialist refers her to JOIN, which helps get families and
individuals into permanent housing. At the time, the family winter
shelter program had been extended to the end of April, affording
the caller a few days respite at the shelter. That shelter closed
April 30.
She takes down the address.
It’s quiet, and then the call comes to an end.
“O K , ” t h e v o i c e o n t h e l i n e s a y s . “T h a n k y o u . ”
Florist
Ponderings
404 NW Tenth Ave.
In the Pearl District
By Nathan Roper
As I sit and ponder my plight
I wonder what ever became of the fight
Did I quit on it?
Or did it quit on me?
As I get older
And Humanity turns colder
The urgency of it all fades away
So many lost causes have come my way
I turn a half century plus two
Broken and lost
The price of independence to high a cost
With my monkey locked in a cage
I walk blind and naked out on the stage
Nothin’ left in my bag of tricks
Nothin’ left to use for kicks
Just a beleaguered soul remains
Lots of old scars on a lingering pain
I sit and ponder my plight
And see no end in sight.
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